St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-11-25
A COLD ROAST.
The Health Officer Opens on the SAM
tary System.
WHAT IT OUGHT TO BE.
Myriad Measures Necessary to the
Public Health---A Greatly En-
larged Scope.

5. KilyingtOn before council commit
tee Wednesday afternoon, was of more
than ordinary interest, touching upon
the, health of the city, as it does, and
containing recommendations which
may; be followed with q good
deal of benefit. The report treated
of the doctors visit to the fifteenth an
nual meeting of the American Public
Health association, which met in Mem
phis recently. The first part was de-
voted to papers on various subjects that
had been read at the meeting in Mem
phis. The doctor then went on to say
that he knew of no better way of call
benefits derived by rigid en-
forcement of sanitary laws than
by holding up Memphis as an
example. She had been visited by
that dreadful ScOurge, yellow fever,
and it was not until the city was thor
oughly cleaned and cared for that she
freed herself from the pest. Il firmly
believe" he continued, ''that this and
other cities similarly located, can be
preserved from devastating epidemicS
by the carrying out of needed sanitary
improvements and the constant SUI
perviSion OF expert sanitary Off
CldIS, SuDDOl ICu ny dil
ened public sentiment and sufficient
appropriations" DR.. kilVington stated
that he would advise the purchase of a
book containing the papers presented
at the annual meetings. as it was the
best sanitary work, in his opinion, that
had ever been produced. The doctor
next spoke of the garbage question
what was to be done with it. He said
that he thought the only proper way to
dispose Of it was to burnt in big fur
mace built for the purpose. This con-
tract system of dispoSing of garbage"
said he, ''Of dumping it into rivers,
ravines and marshes, l am
most heartily opposed to. l fully be-
leve that our present system cannot be
improved upon, with the exception of
the method of the final disposition of
the refuse matter. These crematorieS
are inexpensive, in fact, [ might say
that one can be built for about the same
cost that our public dumps, and it GER
tainly can be handled at no increase of
cost, not speaking of the benefits de-
rived by the destruction of garbage and
refuse matter by fire. On considering
the danger that may arise from contin-
ued depOsiting of this filth along the
river banks, which is assuming great
proportions at the present time, | would
urge that committee be appointed to
investigate the matter of incarceration or
that the board of health be authorized
to do so at its earliest convenience.
Il would also suggest that change be
made in reference to the method of fur
niShing the board of health with its as
SiStantS, and that the matter be placed
in control of the board. The board is
to-day compelled to carry number of
employees for which there is no earthly
use. in fact we could accomplish great
deal more with less men properly
equipped than we can do with the large
number at our command to-day. The
men now in our employ are not salts
fed with the compensation they re-
is impossible for the board to enforce
laws OF give the public ser
vices that they have a right
to demand at our hands. The
matter of inspection of contagious dis
eases should be placed in the hands of
persons commanding knowledge of
medicines and diseases and the matter
of fumigatiOn and diSinfectiOn of tene-
ments can only be done under the super
vision of such men who are not afraid of
the diseases and know sufficient to pre-
vent distribution of the diseases by
their contact with the same. Z =
III I'LL tic udNC NlSltCu Il lOuiu
the. methods adopted by our board
that this is the only board of health
which has not absolute control of the
employees in this department. We have
more employees in proportion to our pop
ulatiOn than any city that was repre-
sented at the Public Health association,
and we are paving larger salaries for
less work. The question of vaccination
of the city poor is now under cOnSidera-
ton by the board. This should be done
by systematic house to house vista
ton, but our hands are tied simply be-
cause / can not do it myself for lack of
time. and l have not single employee
who is capable of doing it. The matter
of food inspection should also receive
attention at your hands. and | would
suggest that instead of simply condemn
ing the unwhOleSOme meat that the
offenders be punished by fines so that
the city may receive some revenue
from this department.
"The board receives many complaints
from residents who are troubled with
sewer gas in their homes as a result of
careless plumbing, and we have no en-
ployes VINO are sufficiently versed in
sanitary plumbing to investigate this
matter. and consequently they have TO
guess at it or | must go and examine the
premises myself, and this class of COM
plants is becoming so numerous that it
is impossible for me to attend to them
and consequently we have to neglect
them, which is certainly an outrage
upon the public. The scavenger serv-
ice of our city is in bad shape at present;
the work is being done in all sorts of We
hlcleS and the consequence is that fire.
quently, as the results of the methods
adopted in cleansing vaults, one nui-
Sance is committed in trying to abate
another. l would recommend that the
number of licensed vault-cleanerS be
limited, so that they could afford to pro-
vide themselves with the proper facili-
ties for doing the work under the i'm
proved sanitary methods. The matter
of legislation pertaining TO the tenement
house should receive attention at your
hands, to compel owners to provide on
their premises, for the use of their tene-
mentS, proper recepatcleS to receive the
garbage and refuse matter, and then
compel the persons making garbage to
pay for its removal to place to be
provided by the city for the final dispo-
SitiOn of the same, and by so doing it
would prevent this city from making
that great blunder made by older cities,
who are doing this work by contract
and never have it half done, besides
saving to the taxpayers an enormous
sum. would also recommend that the
council make some provision for the
better enforcement of Sections l and
6, of ordinance No. 80, which prohibits
persons from using the public alleys for
storing purposes, for the reason that
piles of lumber and iron, etc., only pro-
duce hiding places for persons to de-
post all kinds of filth, and it is impos-
sible for us to keep them clean
under the present state of |
affairs. While the suggestions here |
may seem to you as if it was the desire |
of 1.-THE board to increase the expendi- |
lures of this department, l can assure
you that it is not so. and will say that |